1974 AMA Motocross National Championship season

The 1974 AMA Motocross Championship season was the 3rd AMA Motocross National Championship season.

Summary

The AMA Motocross continued to expand in 1974 with the addition of the 125cc class.^[1] The AMA made a controversial decision allowing only American citizens to compete for the motocross national championship.^[1] The decision would exclude the defending 500cc national champion Dutchman Pierre Karsmakers who, was credited with helping raise the level of American motocross by stressing the importance of physical fitness and machine preparation.^[2]

Although he was excluded from the overall results, Karsmakers competed for Yamaha in the 250cc class and won three of the nine rounds.^[1] Despite not having won a race overall, Can-Am's Gary Jones rode consistently to secure his third consecutive 250cc national championship riding three different brands of motorcycles.^[3] Can-Am hired second-ranked Marty Tripes away from the Husqvarna team before the last race of the season. With Can-Am rider Jimmy Ellis finishing the season ranked third, Can-Am would sweep the top three positions in the 250cc national championship although, Tripes rode most of the season for Husqvarna.^[1]

In the 500cc national championship, privateer rider Tony DiStefano led the championship for most of the year on a ČZ before an injury relegated him to second place behind Kawasaki factory rider Jimmy Weinert.^[1]^[4] The Honda factory team dominated the inaugural 125cc championship with rider Marty Smith leading a Honda sweep of the top four positions.^[1]

Nationals

Round	Date	Location	500cc		250cc		125cc		Report
Round	Date	Location	Winner	Team	Winner	Team	Winner	Team	Report
1	April 8	Rancho Cordova, California	Mike Hartwig	Yamaha	Billy Grossi	Honda	Marty Smith	Honda	Report
2	April 14	Moorpark, California	Tony DiStefano	ČZ	Pierre Karsmakers	Yamaha			Report
3	April 28	Buchanan, Michigan	Mike Hartwig	Yamaha	Kenny Zahrt	Bultaco			Report
4	May 5	Bruceton Mills, West Virginia	Tony DiStefano	ČZ	Pierre Karsmakers	Yamaha			Report
5	May 19	Hamersville, Ohio	Jimmy Weinert	Kawasaki	Pierre Karsmakers	Yamaha			Report
6	June 30	Salt Lake City, Utah					Marty Smith	Honda	Report
7	July 6	Baldwin, Kansas					Jimmy Ellis	Can-Am	Report
8	July 21	Lexington, Ohio					Tim Hart	Yamaha	Report
9	August 11	Delta, Ohio	Jimmy Weinert	Kawasaki	Jimmy Ellis	Can-Am			Report
10	August 18	Mexico, New York	Jimmy Weinert	Kawasaki	Marty Tripes	Husqvarna			Report
11	August 25	Hillsboro, Ohio	Jimmy Weinert	Kawasaki	Jimmy Ellis	Can-Am			Report
12	September 2	New Orleans, Louisiana	Gary Semics	Husqvarna	Kent Howerton	Husqvarna			Report

^[5]

Final standings

500cc
Pos	Rider	Team	Points
1	Jimmy Weinert	Kawasaki	900
2	Tony DiStefano	ČZ	780
3	Steve Stackable	Maico	680
4	Gary Semics	Husqvarna	620
5	Mike Hartwig	Yamaha	507
6	Bryar Holcomb	Bultaco/Maico	395
7	Terry Clark	Husqvarna	295
8	Rex Staten	Maico	257
9	Gary Chaplin	Maico	200
10	Mike Runyard	Suzuki	174

250cc
Pos	Rider	Team	Points
1	Gary Jones	Can-Am	800
2	Marty Tripes	Husqvarna/Can-Am	576
3	Jimmy Ellis	Can-Am	430
4	Rich Thorwaldson	Suzuki	430
5	Billy Grossi	Honda	390
6	Kent Howerton	Husqvarna	367
7	Peter Lamppu	Montesa	315
8	Frank Stacy	Maico	285
9	Kenny Zahrt	Bultaco	257
10	Ron Pomeroy	Bultaco	254

125cc
Pos	Rider	Team	Points
1	Marty Smith	Honda	420
2	Bruce McDougal	Honda	240
3	Chuck Bower	Honda	235
4	Mikey Boone	Honda	200
5	Tim Hart	Yamaha	196
6	Jimmy Ellis	Can-Am	167
7	Jeff Foland	Honda	153
8	Dan Turner	Husqvarna/Honda	126
9	Robert Haag	Husqvarna	100
10	Vincent Clark	Suzuki	94

^[6]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "1974 Motocross Season". racerxonline.com. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
^ "Pierre Karsmakers at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame". motorcyclemuseum.org. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
^ "Gary Jones at the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame". motorcyclemuseum.org. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
^ Assoc, American Motorcyclist (1976). Tony D - Enjoying the Good Life. Retrieved 10 November 2018. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
^ "1974 AMA Motocross National Championship results". racerxonline.com. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
^ "1974 AMA Motocross National Championship overall standings". racerxonline.com. Retrieved 30 January 2019.